Tuesday, 4 December 2012

GAO Recommends States Be Allowed to Invest in New Motorcycle Safety Strategies

Florida, like many other states, receives
funding from the federal administration to be used in developing and preventing
motorcycle safety strategies.However, the state is limited in the kind of initiatives that these
funds can be used in.The
Government Accountability Office recommends that that situation be allowed to
change.

Currently, states that receive federal
motorcycle safety funding can only spend this money on certain approved
programs, like investments in motorist awareness programs and motorcyclist
training.The Government Accountability
Office has reviewed the situation, and recommended that states be allowed to
expand the strategies that they use the money on, based on research conducted
by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The federal highway safety agency is conducting a number of
studies, including one on factors that have increased helmet usage in those states
that do not have mandatory helmet laws for all adult motorcyclists.The Government Accountability Office
recommends that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration research
more issues that affect motorcycle safety, and advises states about spending
the federal funds on such strategies.

For instance, more states would benefit from
research that identifies how motorcyclists can make themselves more visible on
the roads.Every Florida motorcycle accident lawyer
would agree that a motorcyclist’s chances of being involved in an accident are
reduced if he is visible to other motorists.Increasing visibility for motorcyclists is an important
research area, and the Government Accountability Office wants the federal
agency to invest in such strategies.

The bottom line is that we need to research
more areas in order to develop newer innovative strategies to save lives in
motorcycle accidents every year.Further, states should be allowed to spend federal motorcycle safety
funds on new initiatives that can actually help reduce accident rates.